Lafourche parish president’s ethics case continues

Published: Thursday, December 20, 2012 at 6:10 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, December 20, 2012 at 6:10 p.m.

Ethics charges against Lafourche Parish President Charlotte Randolph are still pending following a phone conference will state officials Thursday.

Randolph faces charges tied to renting her Grand Isle camp to BP in the wake of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

According to the state’s documents, Randolph, her husband George and the company the two own, Randolph Publications, entered an agreement with BP from which they received $50,000 between June and October 2011.

That constituted a conflict of interest because the parish received $1 million from BP to cover spill-related expenses, state officials said.

“She was prohibited from having any personal dealings with them,” Ethics Board spokeswoman Alainna Giacone said.

An official report detailing the action of Thursday’s conference will be available next week. Randolph declined to comment about the proceedings, only noting she hopes the process will be over soon.

Details about what the phone conference was to cover were not available from Ethics Board officials, but it could have involved stipulations to the charges, settlement possibilities and contested issues.

The process has been ongoing since February. Previous conference reports from Giacone indicate the parties have been negotiating a settlement.

A settlement counteroffer was rejected by the Board of Ethics in October, according to the conference report.

Reports provided by Giacone indicate Randolph and her husband argued in a February conference they self-reported the infraction and believe they acted diligently.

In May, a Board of Ethics attorney told Randolph the board had rejected a settlement proposal to dismiss the charges but would be open to subsequent settlement proposals.

If a settlement isn’t reached, Randolph will eventually face a three-judge panel — the Ethics Adjudicatory Board — that will determine how Randolph could be penalized.

Randolph will have an opportunity to defend herself against the charges at that time, Giacone said.

State law says the board is authorized to order Randolph to forfeit the money from BP and order payment of other penalties.

<p>Ethics charges against Lafourche Parish President Charlotte Randolph are still pending following a phone conference will state officials Thursday.</p><p>Randolph faces charges tied to renting her Grand Isle camp to BP in the wake of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.</p><p>According to the state's documents, Randolph, her husband George and the company the two own, Randolph Publications, entered an agreement with BP from which they received $50,000 between June and October 2011.</p><p>That constituted a conflict of interest because the parish received $1 million from BP to cover spill-related expenses, state officials said.</p><p>“She was prohibited from having any personal dealings with them,” Ethics Board spokeswoman Alainna Giacone said.</p><p>An official report detailing the action of Thursday's conference will be available next week. Randolph declined to comment about the proceedings, only noting she hopes the process will be over soon. </p><p>Details about what the phone conference was to cover were not available from Ethics Board officials, but it could have involved stipulations to the charges, settlement possibilities and contested issues.</p><p>The process has been ongoing since February. Previous conference reports from Giacone indicate the parties have been negotiating a settlement.</p><p>A settlement counteroffer was rejected by the Board of Ethics in October, according to the conference report.</p><p>Reports provided by Giacone indicate Randolph and her husband argued in a February conference they self-reported the infraction and believe they acted diligently.</p><p>In May, a Board of Ethics attorney told Randolph the board had rejected a settlement proposal to dismiss the charges but would be open to subsequent settlement proposals.</p><p>If a settlement isn't reached, Randolph will eventually face a three-judge panel — the Ethics Adjudicatory Board — that will determine how Randolph could be penalized.</p><p>Randolph will have an opportunity to defend herself against the charges at that time, Giacone said.</p><p>State law says the board is authorized to order Randolph to forfeit the money from BP and order payment of other penalties.</p>